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CHAS. 


LIBRARY 

OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA. 

Class 


FREIGHT 
TRANSPORTATION 


ON 


TROLLEY  LINES 


BY 


CHAS.  S.  PEASE 

*  I 

Civil  Engineer 


NEW  YORK 

McGRAW-HILL  BOOK  COMPANY 
1909 


X? 


GENERAL 


Copyright,  19()9 

by  the 

McGRAW-HILL  BOOK  COMPANY 
NEW  YORK 


CONTENTS. 

PAGE. 

GENERAL  CONSIDERATIONS 1 

THE  CANVASS 7 

MAPS  AND  STATISTICS 12 

ROUTES  AND  TIME  SCHEDULES 14 

STATIONS  AND  DEPOTS 16 

CARS 20 

SIDE  TRACKS 26 

EMPLOYES 29 

CLASSIFICATION  AND  RATES 31 

INTERSTATE    COMMERCE    AND    PUBLIC    SERVICE 
COMMISSIONS 36 

ACCOUNTS  AND  STATIONERY. 38 

INSTRUCTIONS  TO  EMPLOYES 51 

CONNECTING  LINES 56 

THE  PLATFORM  PACKAGE  SYSTEM 58 

THE  PUBLIC. 60 

IN  CONCLUSION.  .  .  .62 


202048 


FREIGHT  TRANSPORTATION 


CHAPTER  I. 
GENERAL  CONSIDERATIONS. 

Generally  speaking  the  freight  business  of  a 
steam  road  is  larger  and  more  profitable  than  its 
passenger  service.  While  on  electric  traction 
lines  this  relation  will  not  obtain,  the  subject  of 
goods  transportation  is  worth  close  study  with  the 
intent  of  following  so  far  as  may  be  expedient 
the  practice  of  the  great  trunk  lines.  Our  city 
and  suburban  traction  systems  are  largely  evolu- 
tions from  horse  car  lines,  when  the  service  had 
severe  limitations  as  to  weight,  speed  and  distance. 
Then  the  matter  of  freight  or  express  transporta- 
tion was  rarely  ever  considered.  When  the 
modern  electric  car  appeared,  capable  of  carrying 
125  people  at  a  higher  rate  of  speed  25  miles  out 
into  the  country,  the  view  of  the  management 
seemed  focussed  on  the  great  advance  in  matters 
of  passenger  service,  and  there  were  few  managers 
who  had  eyes  to  the  business  for  which  the  steam 
roads  principally  stand. 

Still,  this  general  proposition  has  had  the  atten- 
tion of  some  traction  companies,  and  the  results 
of  establishing  a  freight  service  have  been  more 
or  less  satisfactory,  depending  upon  the  methods 

1 


2  FREIGHT  TRANSPORTATION. 

employed.  Where  the  business  offered  has  just 
been  nibbled  at,  the  profits,  if  any,  have  been  in- 
significant. Where  the  methods  of  the  old  line 
express  companies,  developed  to  meet  the  re- 
quirements of  extensive  interstate  business,  have 
been  imitated  in  a  restricted  territory,  the  cost 
of  wagon  service  has  usually  eaten  up  the 
profits.  Where  the  company  has  farmed  out  the 
business  to  an  outside  corporation  or  individual, 
the  profits,  if  any,  have  been  small.  But  where 
an  operating  company  has  concluded  to  run 
a  transportation  business  substantially  on  the 
methods  of  the  freight  department  of  a  steam 
road,  it  has  made  a  wise  decision.  The  pick-up  and 
delivery  business  refused  would  not  only  have 
been  unprofitable,  but  would  have  resulted  in  an 
absolute  loss  in  most  instances. 

An  example  of  nibbling  at  business  is  afforded 
by  an  eastern  line  that  runs  two  or  three  trips 
per  day  of  a  combination  express  and  passenger 
car,  with  a  motorman,  conductor  and  express 
messenger.  Superficially,  this  plan  is  not  without 
its  attractive  features,  but,  as  the  car  is  at  the 
town  end  only  ten  minutes  two  or  three  times  a 
day,  shippers  usually  forward  by  steam  road 
freight  or  express  companies,  whose  depots  are 
always  open  during  business  hours.  The  wayside 
or  even  through  business  of  this  combination  car 
is  insignificant,  and  is  done  at  a  loss. 

Selling  transportation  privileges  for  a  percentage 
of  gross  business  transacted  is  a  not  uncommon 


GENERAL  CONSIDERATIONS.  3 

manner  of  relieving  the  official  mind  of  the  bother 
of  conducting  a  transportation  business.  Express 
companies  pay  the  steam  roads  over  which  they 
run,  on  a  basis  of  fifty  and  sometimes  fifty-five 
per  cent  of  gross  business.  The  XYZ  Express 
Company  routes  packages  from  A  to  B  for  example, 
over  two  different  steam  roads.  Neither  one  of 
these  companies  is  in  a  position  to  administer  a 
transportation  business  over  the  line  of  the  other. 
The  XYZ  is  a  great  money  maker;  so  is  the  lessee 
of  transportation  privileges  on  trolley  lines.  The 
Traction  Company,  would  do  better  to  pay  a 
freight  traffic  manager  a  fair  salary  and  own  its 
business,  than  fatten  a  lessee.  Numerous  instances 
could  be  cited  of  traction  companies  that  have 
contracted  with  small  corporations  or  with  in- 
dividuals to  furnish  depots,  cars,  motormen  and 
power  for  33J  to  40  per  cent  of  the  gross  receipts 
of  the  express  or  freight  business,  with  the  result 
that  the  lessee  takes  virtually  all  the  profits.  The 
lessee  is  not  interested  in  keeping  down  the  car 
mileage  nor  the  platform  service.  He  can  make  a 
profit  when  a  ten  ton  car  is  run  ten  miles  with  a 
ten  pound  package  aboard. 

It  is  not  unnatural  for  an  operating  company 
unfamiliar  with  freight  and  transportation,  and 
wishing  to  haul  all  business  offered,  to  adopt 
methods  for  years  in  use  by  the  old  line  express 
companies.  In  spite  of  the  vast  territory  the 
latter  have  to  draw  from,  many  of  their  wagon 
routes  are  not  self-supporting,  but,  by  the  law  of 


4  FREIGHT  TRANSPORTATION. 

the  company's  being  it  must  be  prepared  to  take 
anything  anywhere.  There  is  so  much  that  is 
profitable  in  their  wagon  routes,  widely  considered, 
that  the  balance  is  on  the  right  side  of  the  ledger. 
Let  a  traction  company  provide  wagon  service 
and  you  may  see  a  $200  wagon,  a  $14  a  week  man 
and  a  $250  horse  wearing  a  $30  harness,  trying  to 
catch  up  with  fixed  charges  with  a  pound  of  tea 
under  the  seat.  Would  an  old  line  express  com- 
pany deliver  the  tea?  Of  course,  but  that  part  of 
their  service  with  the  pound  of  tea  is  infinitessimal 
in  comparison  with  the  profitable  wagon-miles 
they  run.  The  traction  company  has  no  such 
supporting  conditions. 

If  the  freight  business  of  a  steam  road  is  more 
profitable  than  carrying  passengers,  a  traction 
road  should  not  be  afraid  to  give  freight  a  trial. 
Ignorance  of  the  business,  fear  of  public  resent- 
ment, doubts  of  the  suitability  of  tracks  and  bridges 
are  some  of  the  reasons  why  more  traction  com- 
panies are  not  carrying  freight. 

A  simple  method  of  making  a  revenue  is  that  of 
switching  freight  cars  from  a  steam  road  to  fac- 
tories at  a  distance.  Profitable  night  work  is 
found  in: 

Carrying  ice  from  outlying  houses  to  city  dis- 
tributing depots. 

Hauling  ashes,  brick,  cement  and  building 
materials. 

Gathering  butchers'  refuse  for  rendering  houses. 

Handling  offal  for  packing  houses. 


GENERAL  CONSIDERATIONS.  5 

Bringing  in  milk  from  the  country. 

Transporting  farm  produce  and  returning  emp- 
ties. 

vSome  of  the  above  industries  require  special 
cars  owned  by  the  shipper.  Perishable  goods  are 
profitably  handled  at  night  and  preferably  so. 
Some  of  the  lines  of  trade  to  which  trolley  trans- 
portation is  particularly  suited  are  as  follows: 

Bakers  Hardware 

Beer  and  Ale  Ice  Cream 

Bread  Laundries 

Butter,  Eggs  and  Cheese    Liquors  and  Wines 

Canned  Goods  Meats 

Cement  Milk 

City  Markets  Mineral  Waters 

Cigars  and  Tobacco  Plumbers 

Confections  Pork  Products 

Cracker  Manufacturers      Poultry 

Department  Stores  Soft  Drinks 

Farm  Products  Wholesale  Drugs 

Fish  and  Oysters  Wholesale  Grocers 

Fruits 

although  the  traffic  in  the  end  will  cover  the  entire 
trade  list. 

In  considering  the  question  of  goods  transporta- 
tion it  should  be  certain  that  the  charter  gives 
the  right  to  carry  any  kind  of  freight  that  may  be 
offered.  If  not,  it  should  be  amended,  for  no 
satisfactory  business  can  be  done  under  limitations 
in  this  regard.  Charters  generally  while  framed 


6  FREIGHT  TRANSPORTATION. 

to  provide  for  carrying  the  mails  and  small  pack- 
ages, leave  the  company  to  face  the  municipal 
authorities  in  order  to  secure  such  extension  as 
may  permit  the  handling  of  heavy  and  bulky 
freight. 

Presuming  that  it  is  decided  to  investigate  con- 
ditions with  a  view  of  inaugurating  a  freight  busi- 
ness, it  is  in  order  to  proceed  with  a  canvass  of  the 
trade  in  all  lines,  not  neglecting  to  look  out  for 
new  industries  that  are  sure  to  be  fostered  by  in- 
creased and  improved  transportation  facilities 
afforded. 


CHAPTER  II. 
THE  CANVASS. 

An  approximate  estimate  of  the  nature,  volume 
and  destination  of  goods  likely  to  be  offered  for 
transportation  is  needed  before  much  else  is  done. 
It  is  suggested  that  a  list  of  city  and  suburban 
points,  obviously  requiring  improved  service  be 
printed  and  forwarded  to  leading  shippers  with  a 
circular  letter  something  like  the  following,  with 
a  stamped  and  addressed  envelope  enclosed  for 
reply: 

"  Plans  to  establish  a  freight  service  on  the 
lines  of  the  L.  M.  N.  Company,  for  all  'classes  of 
industries,  in  and  about  B  are  being  considered, 
and  representatives  will  make  a  canvass  to  deter- 
mine the  attitude  of  shippers  toward  such  a  pro- 
ject. The  idea  has  been  generally  approved,  and 
substantial  support  promised. 

'  The  establishment  of  freight  stations  con- 
veniently located  in  B  and  in  suburbs,  in  charge  of 
trained  attendants,  and  connected  by  a  carefully 
arranged  and  rapid  car  service,  is  under  advise- 
ment. Wagon  service  of  any  character  whatso- 
ever has  no  part  in  this  plan,  except  as  provided 
by  the  shipper  or  the  consignee. 

"  Classification  and  tariff  sheets  are  in  prepara- 
tion. 

"  If  you  are  interested  in  a  quick  service  at  low 


8  FREIGHT  TRANSPORTATION. 

cost,  kindly  advise  us  promptly  as  to  the  probable 
volume  of  your  merchandise,  handled  from  or  to  B, 
between  points  named  on  attached  sheet." 

It  is  not  likely  that  more  than  20  per  cent  of  the 
parties  addressed  will  answer  by  letter,  nor  that 
more  than  a  tenth  of  those  will  give  a  satisfactory 
reply.  But  the  canvasser  will  find  the  shippers 
interested  in  the  matter  of  the  circular  when  he 
calls.  When  shippers  are  approached  from  an 
unexpected  quarter,  they  are  inclined  to  assume  a 
defensive  if  not  a  combative  attitude.  The  cir- 
cular letter  has  probably  been  read  if  not  answered, 
and  the  subject,  having  been  introduced  before 
the  arrival  of  the  canvasser,  can  then  be  discussed 
in  a  business  way,  and,  depending  on  the  common 
sense  of  the  solicitor  and  the  make-up  of  the 
shipper,  ideas  of  character,  quantities,  and  destina- 
tion of  goods,  can  be  acquired.  Considerable 
emphasis  is  laid  on  this  matter  of  canvassing  for 
the  reason  that  a  canvass  can  be  good  or  absolutely 
useless.  Many  shippers  in  order  to  draw  the 
solicitor  out  will  assume  an  air  of  indifference  or  of 
opposition  to  the  project.  Others  say,  "  Go  ahead 
and  put  your  plan  into  operation  and  if  convenient 
and  economical  we  will  patronize  you."  This 
attitude  is  not  novel;  it  is  observed  in  commercial 
life  hourly,  and  is  a  relic  of  the  days  when  com- 
mercial transactions  consisted  of  barter.  Can- 
vassers and  salesmen  are  born,  not  made,  and  the 
representative  for  this  work  should  be  selected 
from  the  class  of  men  who  have  a  record  for  bring- 


THE  CANVASS.  9 

ing  home  the  goods.  That  sort  of  man  knows 
it  is  better  to  see  six  firms  a  day  and  see  them  right, 
than  to  cover  a  lot  of  territory  and  come  back 
with  misty  or  mistaken  notions  of  the  situation. 
Cover  the  city  territory  carefully,  form  an  idea  of 
requirements  for  outbound  business,  then  turn  to 
the  country  round  about  and  find  what  can  be 
had  to  be  brought  into  town.  The  cars  should 
carry  loads  both  ways.  This  solicitor  should  be  a 
man  who  knows  country  life.  It  is  not  likely 
that  the  city  canvasser,  who  can  make  headway 
with  department  stores,  wholesale  grocers,  the 
butter  and  eggs  men,  the  baker,  the  cigar  maker 
and  the  brewer,  will  get  on  the  right  side  of  the 
farmer,  the  truck  gardener,  the  dairy  man  and  the 
poultry  raiser.  These  people  want  the  service 
whether  they  know -it  or  not,  and  perhaps  it  re- 
quires more  patience  and  tact  to  win  their  patron- 
age than  that  of  the  city  people.  The  best  plan 
is  to  get  hold  of  some  enterprising  countryman  who 
can  be  educated  to  your  way  of  thinking,  and  have 
him  take  a  horse  and  buggy  and  circulate  about 
among  the  people  who  raise  potatoes,  poultry, 
and  pigs  and  sell  milk.  This  sort  of  man  should 
also  canvass  the  city  markets.  It  will  be  found 
that  the  country  shipper  within  say  12  miles,  will 
drive  to  market  eight  months  of  the  year,  and 
ship  by  steam  road,  if  it  is  accessible,  the  rest  of 
the  time.  The  owner  can  do  better  in  the  city 
market  than  his  hired  man.  So  he  starts  from 
his  home  late  in  the  evening,  gets  to  market  be- 


10  FREIGHT  TRANSPORTATION. 

tween  one  and  two  a.m.,  puts  up  overnight  at  a 
hotel,  boards  out  his  team,  and  goes  back  with  his 
empties  when  through  with  his  work.  He  has 
been  away  from  his  farm  a  whole  day  or  more, 
tired  out  his  horses  and  very  likely  bought  things 
on  his  own  initiative  or  by  request  that  could  be 
done  without.  When  shipping  by  steam  road,  he 
has  the  railroad  rate  to  pay  plus  the  city  teamsters' 
bill  for  hauling  his  stuff  from  the  depot  to  the 
market  or  to  other  customers.  Here  is  the  op- 
portunity for  the  representative  who  comes  along 
with  a  proposition  to  open  a  depot,  one,  two,  or 
three  miles,  as  the  case  may  be,  from  the  farm, 
and  rush  the  produce  that  is  brought  there  to  the 
market  side  track  and  bring  back  the  empties  in 
due  time. 

Canvassing  for  the  milk  trade  is  a  specialty  and 
requires  a  knowledge  of  city  and  farm  conditions 
to  make  it  successful.  This  commodity  is  brought 
long  distances  by  the  steam  roads  and  is  distributed 
by  city  dealers  who  have  more  or  less  extensive 
establishments  for  bottling  milk  and  cream, 
washing  and  sterilizing  bottles,  etc.  Some  large 
distributors  are  worth  a  side  track  and  the  others 
may  call  at  one  of  the  city  depots.  Milk  cars, 
which  are  treated  in  Chapter  VI,  should  not  be 
used  for  other  freight,  even  though  there  may  be 
a  vacant  space  in  them.  The  canvassers  should 
make  this  clear  to  the  buyers  and  shippers. 

The  country  canvasser  should  have  a  sharp  eye 
to  the  prospective  increase  in  business  due  to 


THE  CANVASS.  11 

facilities  afforded.  With  a  trolley  freight  service, 
the  farm  on  which  wheat,  corn  and  hay  were 
grown,  may  make  a  first  class  dairy  farm,  or  a 
profitable  truck  garden,  under  an  enterprising 
owner. 

The  company  could  dispense  with  a  canvass 
altogether,  and  start  doing  business  with  a  flourish 
of  trumpets  and  half  or  twice  the  number  of 
cars  needed.  The  former  course  discredits  the 
management  and  •  the  other  is  expensive.  The 
initiation  and  maintenance  of  a  canvass  for 
business  has  ample  warrant,  when  one  reflects 
what  an  active  and  aggressive  department  of  the 
steam  road  equipment  is  the  freight  solicitor's 
ofiice. 


CHAPTER  III. 
MAPS  AND  STATISTICS. 

Two  maps  in  duplicate  should  be  provided,  one 
set  for  the  canvasser  and  the  other  for  the  mana- 
ger's office.  One  should  be  on  a  large  scale,  show- 
ing the  city  or  town,  and  the  other  on  a  smaller 
scale,  showing  the  city  and  surrounding  country. 
Indicate  on  these  maps  by  an  appropriate  symbol 
all  company  properties  that  may  possibly  be  used 
for  stations,  and  later  on  such  acquired  lots  as 
may  be  needed  for  depots.  Show  also  tracks, 
double  and  single,  cross-overs,  switches,  and 
sidings.  Distances  from  the  commercial  center  of 
the  city  should  be  marked  at  all  proposed  depots, 
track  ends  and  suburban  town  centers.  Prominent 
business  houses,  and  markets,  factories,  breweries, 
bakeries,  packing  houses,  quarries,  sand  pits,  dairies, 
market  gardens,  large  farms,  etc.,  should  be  desig- 
nated on  the  map  by  numbers,  of  which  a  classified 
list  should  be  made  by  card  index.  As  an  all- 
round  canvasser  is  rarely  a  desk  man,  the  results 
of  his  scouting  should  be  systematically  reviewed 
and  tabulated  by  someone  in  the  general  office, 
who  has  the  ability  to  compile  a  lot  of  miscellane- 
ous matter  that  is  brought  in.  Blank  forms  for 
the  use  of  the  canvasser  in  his  reports  of  in- 
dividual shippers  may  seem  a  superfluity,  but  the 
being  human  will  come  in  occasionally  without  a 

12 


MAPS  AND  STATISTICS.  13 

shipper's  right  name  or  address.  He  will  have 
failed  to  note  the  time,  day  or  night,  when  a  par- 
ticular shipper  should  be  expected  at  the  depot 
with  his  goods,  and  so  on,  and  so  on.  Provide 
any  convenient  form  in  padded  leaves  that  may 
be  pasted  to  the  back  of  the  index  card. 

A  compilation  of  the  data  thus  procured  and 
carefully  sifted,  as  well  as  corrected  by  allowances 
on  the  one  hand  for  over-estimation  and  on  the 
other  for  business  undiscovered,  will  give  a  fair 
idea  of  what  is  to  be  provided  for,  not  only  in 
tonnage  but  in  bulk. 


CHAPTER  IV. 
ROUTES  AND  TIME  SCHEDULES. 

Outlying  city  districts  beyond  the  reach  of 
economical  wagon  delivery,  suburban  centers, 
villages,  and  settlements  of  all  sorts  reached  by  the 
company's  lines,  are  on  record  among  your  sta- 
tistics as  good  for  a  certain  tonnage  in  one  or  both 
directions.  On  your  general  map  paste  small 
labels,  showing  tonnage  values  at  proper  points. 
It  will  be  found  that  thriving  towns  ten  or  fifteen 
miles  out,  will  apparently  warrant  two  round 
trips  per  day,  while  for  other  centers,  one  trip  per 
day  will  suffice.  Some  distant  or  inactive  points 
require  no  more  than  a  tri-weekly  service.  It 
will  be  found  that  cars  are  cast  to  run  one  day  or 
another  with  little  or  no  load.  While  this  may  be 
unavoidable  on  some  lines  extending  to  consuming, 
but  non-producing  centers,  effort  must  be  made 
to  bring  cars  in  with  some  freight  even  if  the  re- 
turn trip  has  to  be  made  by  a  different  route  than 
the  outbound.  It  may  be  found  profitable  at 
some  times  and  seasons  to  make  regular  belt-line 
trips.  With  certain  classes  of  merchandise  it  is 
not  important  that  cars  should  be  expected  at 
this  or  that  depot  at  stated  times,  but  in  for- 
warding perishable  goods  the  shipper  and  consignee 
expect  and  should  be  accommodated  with  a 
running  schedule  scrupulously  followed.  It  is 

14 


ROUTES  AND  SCHEDULES.  15 

often  advisable  to  run  a  shuttle  car  service  about 
the  city  stations  to  pick  up  goods  for  the  city 
terminal. 


CHAPTER  V. 
STATIONS  OR  DEPOTS. 

Failure  will  be  read  from  the  returns  if,  with 
the  best  of  everything  else,  the  depots  are  im- 
properly designed  or  located.  Where  some  trac- 
tion companies  have  entered  the  goods  transporta- 
tion field  they  have  often  done  so  with  hesitation 
and  with  no  knowledge  of  the  tonnage  to  be  pro- 
vided for.  This  or  that  old  car  barn  or  corner  of 
the  power  house  has  been  thought  good  enough  to 
start  with.  "  If  the  business  demands  larger  or 
different  quarters,  we  will  provide  them,"  they  say. 
Car  barns  and  power  houses  are  not  usually  built 
near  the  centre  of  the  wholesale  trade  district  anp 
conclusions  drawn  from  such  experiments  are 
misleading  of  course.  The  heavy  shippers  the 
wholesale  grocers,  butter  and  eggs  men,  brewers, 
packers  and  department  stores  are  not  going  to 
drive  their  big  trucks  long  distances  to  the 
depots.  It  is  not  too  much  to  say  that  the  key  to 
success  in  this  business  is  a  freight  terminal  near 
the  centre  of  trade  in  the  city.  Your  map  of  the 
metropolis  has  been  dotted  with  small  black 
squares  indicating  the  location  of  good  shippers. 
Find  the  centre  of  gravity  of  these  spots  and  look 
around  there  for  a  city  terminal,  figure  at  locating 
as  near  there  as  may  be,  but  first  have  an  eye  to 
requirements  as  follows,  illustrated  by  this  dia- 

16 


STATIONS  AND  DEPOTS.  17 

gram,  which  represents  ideal  conditions.  The 
platform  has  an  office  (B)  at  one  end,  track  or 
tracks  (A)  in  the  rear  and  yard  room  (C)  for 
wagons.  Some  fairly  close  approximation  to  this 
design  is  essential.  Twelve  to  fifteen  feet  is  wide 
enough  for  the  platform,  and  as  to  the  length  pro- 
vide liberally  for  the  future.  Cover  it  with  a 
galvanized  iron  roof  on  simple  posts  and  trusses, 
and  enclose  with  rolling  iron  shutters. 

With  a  terminal  centrally  located,  well  appointed 
and  in  charge  of  competent  men  you  have  some- 
thing attractive  to  shippers  and  being  arranged  as 


indicated,  freight  may  be  disposed  of  with  the 
greatest  efficiency. 

Let  a  few  common  errors  in  city  terminal  ar- 
rangements be  specified: 

When  tracks  and  wagons  are  on  the  same  side 
of  platform,  cars  and  wagons  seriously  interfere 
with  one  another. 

When  tracks  are  on  one  side  of  platform  and  a 
wall  on  the  other  and  wagons  have  access  only  to 
the  platform  end,  obviously  not  much  business  can 
be  done  with  one  or  two  wagons  loading  or  un- 
loading freight  at  a  time. 

Narrow  alley  or  street  in  which  to  swing  teams. 


18  FREIGHT  TRANSPORTATION. 

No  hood  or  awning  beyond  sides  of  platform. 

Team  side  not  paved  with  Belgian  block. 

Other  city  stations  may  be  arranged  on  com- 
pany property  or  leased  land  as  the  requirements 
indicate.  As  the  volume  of  business  is  less  here 
it  will  not  be  necessary  to  be  so  particular.  The 
same  may  be  said  about  the  country  depots  unless  a 
one-sided  platform  will  not  take  care  of  the  traffic 
offered.  A  very  good  way  of  making  a  depot  in  a 
car  barn  is  to  run  a  platform  along  the  side  of  an 
inner  track  and  at  required  intervals  cut  one  or 
more  six-foot  wide  doors  in  the  adjacent  wall  for 
receipt  and  delivery  of  freight.  Suburban  and 
country  stations  should  be  on  sidings  or  at  track 
end,  if  there  is  any  chance  of  freight  interfering 
with  the  passenger  service.  Otherwise  small 
depots  may  be  built,  allowing  ample  clearance, 
alongside  the  track,  and  freight  handled  over  a 
gangplank  kept  on  the  station  platform.  Country 
stations  fully  equipped  cost  not  more  than  $2.50 
per  square  foot  of  plan,  including  office,  partitions, 
desk,  stove  and  chimney.  On  some  lines,  as  for 
instance  one  running  through  farms  or  truck 
gardening  country  where  one  agent  takes  care  of 
five  stations,  spending  two  stated  hours  daily  at 
each,  the  depots  may  be  made  of  the  simplest 
possible  form  and  placed  near  the  main  track. 
Other  station  facilities,  not  altogether  commend- 
able, but  permitted  in  many  cases,  are  the  news 
room,  drug-store  or  any  other  reputable  place  that 
can  be  relied  on  to  be  open  early  and  late.  A 


STATIONS  AND  DEPOTS.  19 

fair  sort  of  depot  can  be  made  out  of  an  old  car 
body.  Accepting  freight  to  be  called  for  on  route 
is  generally  bad  business,  but  seems  to  be  un- 
avoidable in  the  country.  Perishable  stuff  should 
be  accepted  only  at  owner's  risk.  If  you  are  using 
a  station  in  common  with  a  connecting  line,  ar- 
range for  a  complete  separation  of  your  business 
from  that  of  the  other  line  as  a  divided  responsi- 
bility for  the  custody  and  handling  of  freight  in- 
variably leads  to  complications. 


CHAPTER  VI. 
CARS. 

For  $500  or  less  an  old  single  truck  passenger  car 
having  a  maximum  carrying  capacity  of  say  6  tons 
can  be  remodeled  to  make  a  freight  car.  If  the 
design  of  the  longitudinal  trussing  will  permit, 
two  opposite  sliding  doors,  five  feet  wide,  should  be 
provided  in  the  middle  on  each  side.  The  seats 
and  side  glass  should  be  taken  out,  the  sides  boarded 
up  within  and  the  floor  planked.  The  door  glass 
should  be  protected  with  heavy  battens  and  one  or 
two  electric  heaters  provided.  If  the  lengthwise 
trusses  cannot  be  removed,  access  to  the  car 
must  be  had  through  the  end  openings,  which  may 
be  widened  as  follows.  That  portion  of  the  end 
partitions  against  which  the  doors  abut  when 
closed,  should  be  removed  as  high  as  the  car  door, 
and  a  hinged  door  substituted  which  will  swing 
inside  flush  with  the  car  side,  and  will  face  with  the 
car  front  when  a  bolt  is  slipped  into  the  floor. 
With  the  swing  and  slide  doors  opened  in  either 
end,  sufficient  width  will  be  afforded  to  take  in 
anything  to  be  carried  on  such  a  car.  The  plat- 
forms should  be  built  up  level  with  the  car  floor. 
An  extremely  simple  method  of  treating  single 
truck  passenger  cars  in  which  the  doorway  is  very 
narrow  and  when  only  light  freight  is  to  be  carried, 
is  to  substitute  an  outside  sliding  panel  on  each 

20 


OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY 

OF 


CARS.  21 

side  in  the  place  of  two  or  three  windows.  In  all 
cars  the  glass  should  be  protected  if  retained. 

Similar  observations  may  be  made  in  regard  to 
refitting  double  truck  cars,  which  require  an  outlay 
of  about  $750  each  to  make  them  serviceable  for 
freight  business.  They  have  a  capacity  of  8  to  10 
tons.  Operating  companies  usually  have  a  lot  of 
old  single  truck  cars  in  barns  taking  up  valuable 
space,  but  very  little  double  truck  equipment  to 
spare  of  any  description. 

As  to  the  use  of  trailers  it  is  to  be  said  that  they 
may  often  be  used  to  advantage  when  employed 
on  tracks  having  no  sharp  curves;  otherwise  the 
motor  car  will  tend  to  pull  the  trailers  off  the  track 
or  buckle  the  train  in  pushing.  Derailments  are 
obviously  more  likely  to  occur  in  this  way  if  cars 
have  city  wheels  of  narrow  tread  and  little  flange. 

As  the  expense  for  motorman  and  messenger  is 
the  same  for  all  cars,  and  the  other  items  of  cost 
of  operation  of  a  car  of  say  15  tons  capacity  is  not 
much  greater  than  for  any  smaller  car,  it  would 
appear  that  the  big  car  makes  for  economy,  even 
though  it  may  not  always  run  full.  Assuming 
the  low  rate  of  10  cents  per  100  pounds  and  a  full 
load,  the  large  car  earns  $18  gross  more  in  its  run 
than  a  6-ton  car.  After  taking  out  all  charges 
against  the  15  ton  car,  it  would  appear  economical 
to  use  it.  Small  cars  certainly  have  their  uses 
when  acting  as  feeders  to  the  terminal  on  short 
runs,  in  postal  service,  or  in  handling  light  bulky 
freight,  such  as  bread,  garden  truck,  paper  boxes, 


22  FREIGHT  TRANSPORTATION. 

and  so  on,  at  good  rates,  but  the  backbone  of  the 
freight  system  will  be  found  in  the  big-car  service. 
It  may  be  observed  that  the  electric  equipment  of 
a  once  side-tracked  small  car  is  not  above  reproach, 
and  that  matters  of  sending  out  a  wrecking  crew 
after  dead  cars,  not  to  mention  interference  with 
passenger  service,  are  expensive. 

As  big  a  car  as  can  be  operated  on  city  and 
suburban  lines  provided  with  four  50  horse  power 
motors,  having  a  capacity  of  15  or  20  tons  and 
attractively  painted  to  appear  well  in  any  com- 
pany costs  about  $5500.  It  is  not  considered 
necessary  to  present  full  specifications  for  such  a 
car,  but  some  suggestions  are  in  ofder. 

Keep  the  car  floor  level  low.  One  well  known 
builder  of  freight  and  work  cars  has  so  much  gear 
underneath  that  the  car  floor  is  52  inches  above 
the  rail.  This  is  too  much.  In  your  own  interest 
the  car  floor  and  all  station  platforms  should  be  on 
the  same  level  for  facility  in  running  hand  trucks. 
Handling  heavy  merchandise  like  barrels  of  flour, 
beef,  pork,  oil,  pickles,  ale,  etc.,  over  a  considerable 
lift  from  a  wagon,  wastes  time  and  breeds  dis- 
satisfaction. If  drivers  find  unloading  at  the 
terminal  irksome,  it  is  not  strange  if  their  shipping 
clerks  are  moved  to  send  the  goods  elsewhere  for 
transportation  in  order  to  get  their  trucks  back 
in  a  reasonable  time.  It  is  really  very  important 
to  stand  well  with  the  drivers,  who  want  room  in 
which  to  handle  their  teams  and  do  not  enjoy  lifting 
a  truck  load  of  goods. 


OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY 

OF 


CARS.  23 

The  car  body  inside  should  be  as  wide  as  condi- 
tions permit,  and  about  35  feet  long.  The  height 
inside  should  be  6  to  7  feet.  All  necessary 
equipment  can  be  stowed  beneath  a  car  floor  that 
is  43  to  45  inches  above  the  rail. 

In  the  vestibule  bulkhead  a  narrow  opening 
closed  with  slide  giving  access  to  interior  should  be 
provided.  This  is  convenient  also  in  handling 
pipe  and  shafting  through  the  vestibule  which 
should  have  drop  sash. 

Sliding  doors,  close  sheathed,  should  be  5  feet 
6  inches  wide  at  least  and  placed  in  the  center  of 
each  side.  It  is  not  likely  that  floors  any  too 
substantial  will  be  specified,  nor  that  door  jambs 
and  sills  will  be  ironed  too  heavily. 

Provide  two  electric  heaters. 

Provide  box  for  messenger's  papers. 

Provide  a  few  lights  well  protected. 

Provide  four  small  well  protected  windows. 

Those  cars  that  are  most  prominently  before 
the  public  should  not  be  such  as  to  arouse  its  re- 
sentment by  a  resemblance  to  steam  road  freight 
cars  in  a  coat  of  mineral  red.  They  should  be 
finished  with  standard  colors  of  the  line — a  little 
gold  leaf  is  also  helpful. 

Cars  for  crushed  stone,  sand,  gravel  and  brick 
are  built  in  several  designs: 

(1)  Open  platform  with  electric  equipment  and 
vestibules. 

(2)  Open  center  dump  with  electric  equipment 
and  vestibules. 


24  FREIGHT  TRANSPORTATION, 

(3)  Open  side  dump  with  electric  equipment  and 
vestibules. 

(4)  Mine  center  dump. 

(5)  Mine  side  dump. 

The  first,  third  and  fifth  models  are  used  in 
delivery  to  street,  road  and  building  contractors, 
while  the  second  and  fourth  are  for  dumping  into 
pockets. 

Weights  per  cubic  yard  follow: 

Wet  sand,  2160  Ibs. 
Dry  sand,  2700  Ibs. 
Crushed  trap,  2400  Ibs. 
Common  brick,  per  M. 

The  platform  cars  have  no  roof  between  vesti- 
bules, but  have  sides  high  enough  to  protect  full 
load.  The  mine  cars  are  used  as  trailers  on  lines 
having  no  sharp  curves. 

Cars  for  live  stock  will  be  operated  most  ad- 
vantageously at  night  and  should  be  of  the  plat- 
form type,  having  a  roof  and  being  provided  with 
stanchions,  open  boarded  sides,  and  doors  opening 
outward. 

Cars  for  transportation  of  ice  from  suburban 
houses  to  town  distributing  stations  are  of  simple 
form.  Hauling  by  vehicles  drawn  by  four  horses 
distances  from  2  to  6  miles  or  more,  is  expensive 
not  only  in  means  of  carriage,  but  in  waste  of  ice 
in  warm  weather.  Cars  should  be  of  platform 
type  with  drop  sides  not  more  than  24  inches  high. 
A  sail  cloth  cover  for  the  load  is  sufficient.  When 


CARS.  25 

not  in  the  ice  service  these  cars  may  be  used  for 
sand,  gravel,  stone  or  brick,  or  similar  purposes. 

Box  milk  cars  should  be  double  decked  by  means 
of  a  mid-height  shelf  on  each  side,  supplemented 
by  cross  boards.  Doors  should  be  placed  in  the 
middle  of  each  side. 

A  remunerative  branch  of  the  transportation 
business  is  carrying  the  United  States  mails  from 
the  Post  Office  to  city  and  suburban  points.  Cars 
may  be  of  the  small  single  truck  type  remodelled 
and  attractively  painted  at  a  total  expense  of  about 
$750  each.  The  Post  Office  Department  furnishes 
a  messenger  and  the  operating  company  a  motor- 
man  and  conductor  to  perform  platform  service. 
A  satisfactory  type  of  car — one  of  the  many  now  in 
active  service — is  shown  in  one  of  the  illustrations. 

Electric  locomotives  are  necessary  when  switch- 
ing of  steam  road  freight  cars  to  factories  or  other 
destination  is  to  be  done.  This  line  of  work  will 
be  found  to  be  very  profitable  when  properly 
worked  up.  Manufacturers  who  are  handicapped 
through  inability  to  get  a  steam  road  siding  and 
are  maintaining  a  cramped  establishment  on 
highly  valuable  ground  because  they  are  forced  to 
employ  vehicle  service  for  raw  material  and 
finished  product  will  often  welcome  an  opportunity 
to  retire  to  a  place  where  they  can  expand  on  cheap 
ground  if  assured  of  a  good  service.  In  many  in- 
stances electric  road  charters  cover  intermediate 
space  between  steam  road  right  of  way  and  de- 
sirable factory  sites.  Some  suggestive  illustrations 
of  electric  locomotives  are  given. 


CHAPTER  VII. 
SIDE  TRACKS. 

All  important  stations  as  well  as  some  out- 
lying depots  where  the  freight  cars  may  interfere 
with  passenger  traffic  should  have  side  tracks. 
The  cost  for  special  work  laid,  including  paving 
items  and  overhead  work,  should  not  exceed  one 
thousand  dollars,  while  $3.25  per  foot  for  additional 
track  is  ample.  The  sum  of  $1325  should  therefore 
pay  for  a  siding  for  any  suburban  or  minor  city 
station.  A  freight  car  on  either  a  double  or  single 
track  main  line  is  more  or  less  in  the  way.  If  it 
is  necessary  to  build  a  station  it  is  usually  worth 
while  to  build  a  side  track  to  it.  The  moral  effect 
of  a  side  track  to  a  depot  is  worth  notice.  Given 
a  depot  beside  the  main  line  without  siding,  con- 
sider the  number  of  occasions  within  a  month  in 
which  the  freight  car  is  in  the  way  of  the  passenger 
service  there;  and  it  is  evident  that  due  care  will 
not  be  observed  when  goods  and  accounts  are 
handled  in  haste. 

Usually  new  industries  requiring  track  service 
are  located  with  regard  to  steam  road  freight  con- 
nections, but  often  water,  water  power,  cost  of 
land  or  labor  considerations  control  to  the  exclu- 
sion of  steam  road  siding  and  resort  must  be  had 
to  the  electric  tramway.  The  business  from  sources 
of  this  character  will  be  of  two  kinds:  deliveries 

26 


SIDE  TRACKS.  27 

to  and  from  the  railroads,  and  to  and  from  local 
city  and  suburban  points.  The  steam  road  people 
are  antagonistic  on  principle  when  any  question  of 
competition  in  carrying  freights  arises,  but  should 
interpose  no  insurmountable  obstacle  if  some  of 
their  freight  can  be  disposed  of  with  care  and 
dispatch  by  the  trolley  lines.  Negotiations  with 
the  railroad  people  for  transfer  freight  sidings, 
platform  space,  etc.,  will  not  be  discussed  here  as 
varying  local  conditions  govern  each  case.  One 
point  however  needs  emphasis.  It  should  be 
understood  that  in  taking  freight  from  or  to  the 
steam  road  depot  the  electric  railway  company  is 
not  acting  in  connection  with  the  steam  road  as  a 
carrier  by  receiving  any  part  of  a  steam  road  rate 
as  a  consideration  for  a  haul  of  goods.  It  is 
simply  acting  as  a  teamster  operating  a  wagon 
service.  It  should  handle  no  bills  of  lading  as  be- 
tween plant  and  the  destination  outside  the  state. 
It  should  be  expressly  provided  that  the  company 
acts  simply  as  a  local  transfer  concern  and  shares 
with  none.  All  freight  papers  should  read  to  or 
from  the  freight  depots  reached.  If  the  company 
intends  to  do  an  interstate  business  it  is  another 
matter.  If  not,  the  appearance  or  implication  of 
doing  so  should  be  avoided.  (See  Chapter  X  on 
"  Interstate  Business.") 

The  cost  of  side  tracks  partly  on  shipper's 
property  should  be  pro  rated  as  a  rule.  Instances 
may  be  noted  where  the  operating  company  has 
installed  long  tracks  on  manufacturers'  property  in 
the  expectation  of  large  business.  Manufacturers 


28  FREIGHT  TRANSPORTATION. 

have  gotten  into  trouble,  the  mills  shut  down,  and 
the  courts  would  not  permit  the  traction  company 
to  take  out  what  was  really  its  own  property. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 
EMPLOYES. 

Presuming  that  a  separate  company  or  depart- 
ment for  the  freight  business  will  be  organized,  it  is 
advisable  to  have  the  executive  officers  in  common 
with  the  parent  company,  to  employ  a  traffic 
manager  solely  devoted  to  freight  transportation, 
and  have  a  separate  set  of  books  kept  by  men 
who  are  not  otherwise  employed. 

The  city  terminal  agent  should  be  chosen  with 
great  care  as  on  him  falls  a  burden  of  much  detail 
and  many  complications.  He  should  be  an  adept 
in  handling  men.  He  is  in  close  touch  with  the 
public  and  will  solicit  business  from  his  post.  It 
is  well  to  let  him  feel  quite  free  to  offer  suggestions 
as  to  ways  and- means  of  improving  and  extending 
the  business.  Cashier,  clerks,  messengers,  fore- 
men, checkers  and  laborers  should  have  the  in- 
dispensable qualifications  of  sobriety  and  industry. 
No  matter  how  able  one  man  may  be  in  the  dis- 
charge of  his  duties,  he  should  be  dispensed  with 
if  he  turns  out  to  be  a  trouble  maker. 

While  the  motorman  of  a  freight  car  is  properly 
under  the  direction  of  a  division  superintendent 
of  the  passenger  department,  he  should  also,  except 
as  to  discipline,  conform  to  the  requirements  of 
the  traffic  manager  of  the  freight  department  and 
the  agents.  When  out  on  the  line,  calling  at  small 

29 


30  FREIGHT  TRANSPORTATION. 

stations,  motormen  should  assist  the  messenger 
and  agent  in  handling  the  freight.  One  dollar  a 
week  above  his  regular  pay  is  usually  sufficient 
to  compensate  him  for  such  occasional  additional 
service. 

The  messenger  must  be  wide-awake,  good  at 
figures  and  reliable  about  money  matters.  The 
motorman  and  messenger  must  make  a  "  team." 

While  all  hands  at  the  terminal  report  to  the 
terminal  agent,  the  cashier  and  clerks  should  also 
be  under  the  management  and  discipline  of  the 
auditor.  Messengers,  foremen  and  laborers  should 
be  under  the  immediate  supervision  of  the  terminal 
agent.  The  station  agent  is  entitled  to  much 
consideration  and  forbearance  in  view  of  the  fact 
that  he  is  receiving  directions  from  numerous 
people. 


CHAPTER  IX. 
CLASSIFICATION  AND  RATES. 

The  function  of  the  classification  is  to  officially 
settle  the  transportation  status  of  all  commodities 
that  may  be  offered  for  shipment. 

Articles  are  classified  in  such  a  manner  that  the 
tariff  will  cover  cost  plus  a  profit. 

The  steam  roads  and  some  trolley  roads  use  the 
freight  classification  of  the  Official  Classification 
Committee  (Mr.  C.  E.  Gill,  Chairman,  143  Liberty 
street,  New  York  City),  and  have  printed  tariff 
sheets  for  every  station  where  freight  is  received 
and  dispatched  showing  rates  to  all  other  stations 
on  the  lines. 

A  distinguished  writer  on  the  subject  says: 
"  A  first-class  rate  may  cover  widely  dissimilar 
articles.  Classification  takes  cognizance  of  the 
exigencies  of  localities,  industries  and  properties, 
local  environment,  risk,  competition  of  carriers 
and  markets,  as  well  as  statutory  enactments." 
Pig  iron  is  sixth  class  in  carloads  and  fourth  class 
in  less  than  carload.  Flag  stones  in  quantities 
less  than  carloads  are  fourth  class,  while  grain 
cradles,  set  up,  in  less  than  car  loads  are  four  times 
first  class. 

The  classification  of  goods  and  the  establish- 
ment of  class  rates  should  be  supplemented  by 
commodity  rates  on  packages — 1  Ib.  to  10  Ibs.; 

31 


32  FREIGHT  TRANSPORTATION. 

10  Ibs.  to  25  Ibs. ;  25  Ibs.  to  50  Ibs. ;  50  Ibs.  to  75  Ibs. ; 
75  Ibs.  to  100  Ibs. — covering  such  as  farm  produce, 
milk,  laundry  baskets,  fruit  crates,  bread  baskets, 
etc.  Sample  class  and  commodity  tariff  sheets 
follow. 

Inasmuch  as  values  rather  than  bulk  determine 
commercial  profit,  carriers  cannot  frame  a  tariff 
that  will  distribute  its  burdens  alike.  America 
bases  her  rates  on  the  value  of  the  service  and  the 
ability  of  the  traffic  to  pay.  Rates  are  affected 
by  return  loads.  Rates  are  governed  by  local 
conditions.  Rates  must  stimulate.  It  is  perhaps 
expedient  to  make  some  rates  just  to  cover  cost. 
There  are  innumerable  adjustments,  compromises 
and  conditions  involved.  Rates  are  also  based  on 
what  the  traffic  will  bear." 

Express  rates  in  a  western  city  on  trolley  lines 
are  midway  between  railroad  and  old  line  express 
tariffs.  The  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company's 
package  rates  in  Philadelphia  are:  one  to  10  Ibs., 
5  cents;  10  to  25  Ibs.,  10  cents;  25  to  50  Ibs.,  15 
cents.  Milk  rates  on  trolley  cars  average  four 
tenths  of  a  cent  per  quart,  which  includes  return  of 
empty  cans. 

Some  trolley  companies  profitably  carry  freight 
at  the  same  rates  the  steam  roads  charge.  But 
in  view  of  the  speed  and  convenience  of  a  well 
organized  electric  service,  the  traffic  will  bear 
usually  25  per  cent  more  in  most  locations. 

The  question  of  rates  is  such  a  broad  one  that 
it  is  quite  impossible  to  point  to  any  definite  rules 


CLASSIFICATION  AND  RATES. 


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CLASSIFICATION  AND  RATES,  35 

of  general  application.  It  should  be  looked  at 
in  this  way:  The  project  involves  no  wagon  service 
on  the  company's  part ;  therefore  the  charge  can- 
not be  as  much  as  that  of  the  old  line  express  com- 
panies. Shippers  and  consumers  can  be  served 
more  quickly  and  better  than  by  the  steam  roads 
within  the  radius  of  action ;  therefore  'the  electric 
railway  can  charge  more  than  the  steam  road.  The 
proper  rates,  therefore,  may  be  said  to  be  between 
those  of  the  express  companies  and  the  railroad. 


CHAPTER  X. 

THE     INTERSTATE     COMMERCE     COMMISSION    AND 
THE  PUBLIC  SERVICE  COMMISSIONS. 

In  an  early  report  of  the  Interstate  Commerce 
Commission  wonder  is  expressed  that  there  are  so 
few  "  oppressive  rates  "  imposed  by  the  railroads, 
and  the  Commission  seems  to  find  explanation  in 
the  reflection  that  *'  the  operation  of  sound 
economic  and  commercial  principles  is  constantly 
exerting  a  pressure  that  cannot  be  resisted." 

An  Act  to  regulate  commerce  and  creating  the 
Interstate  Commerce  Commission  went  into  effect 
April  5,  1887.  It  requires  that  charges  for  trans- 
portation of  goods  shall  be  just  and  reasonable, 
and  that  schedules  of  the  same  be  printed  and 
posted  at  all  shipping  points.  Schedules  must 
show  places  between  which  goods  are  to  be  carried. 
The  Commission  has  authority  to  direct  form  of 
the  schedules  and  to  change  such  forms.  It  pre- 
scribes limitations  as  to  changes  in  rates,  ordering 
that  no  charges  shall  be  made  more  or  less  than 
printed  rates  unless  authorized.  It  exacts  that 
classifications  shall  be  exhibited  as  well  as  rates. 
Carriers  must  file  schedules  with  the  Commission 
and  give  notice  of  changes  under  certain  specific 
provisions. 

Contracts  with  other  carriers  involving  traffic 
within  the  provisions  of  the  Act  must  be  filed  with 

the  Commission. 

36 


PUBLIC  SERVICE  COMMISSIONS.  37 

Although  stringent,  the  rules  of  the  Commission 
under  the  Act  are  commonly  regarded  as  rea- 
sonable. 

Public  service  commissions  are  state  institu- 
tions and  are  constituted  to  supply  within  the  state 
rules  similar  to  those  provided  by  the  Interstate 
Commerce  Commission  in  federal  regulation  of 
interstate  traffic.  New  York  state  has  a  public 
service  commission  and  similar  commissions  are 
proposed  for  other  states. 

Pamphlets  giving  full  information  may  be  had 
without  charge  from  the  Secretary  of  the  Inter- 
state Commerce  Commission  at  Washington,  D.  C., 
and  the  Secretary  of  the  Public  Service  Commission, 
Albany,  N.  Y.  Before  publishing  or  quoting  rates 
it  will  be  well  to  consult  the  Company's  attorney 
who  should  advise  as  to  the  application  of  all  state 
and  federal  acts.  The  requirements  of  these 
Acts  are  not  really  complex,  though  exacting, 
and  much  annoyance  may  be  avoided  by  scrup- 
ulously following  all  rules  expressed  in  the  regu- 
lations. 


CHAPTER  XL 
ACCOUNTS  AND  STATIONERY. 

The  observations  in  this  section  are  confined  to 
the  subject  of  fiscal  and  allied  reports  from  agents 
to  auditor.  That  officer  is  doubtless  capable  of 
working  out  a  system  of  accounts  for  his  own 
office. 

The  reason  for  the  modern  methods  of  account- 
ing is  found  in  the  need  for  identification  of  receipt 
and  expense  items  for  reference  and  to  determine 
the  standing  of  employees.  The  question  whether 
to  operate  a  goods  transportation  system  as  a  de- 
partment of  the  passenger  railway,  or  to  create  a 
separate  organization  is  of  importance.  The  work- 
ings of  each  plan  have  been  scrutinized  and  it 
appears  that  the  latter  is  preferable.  Constant  and 
close  scrutiny  of  revenue  and  expense  items  is 
vital,  and  however  good  the  intention  of  the 
auditor  and  his  helpers,  if  the  freight  accounts  are 
carried  along  in  the  same  set  of  books  with  the 
passenger  business,  there  will  inevitably  be  charges 
made  or  omitted,  misrepresenting  the  actual  status. 

Agents  should  make  daily  remittance  of  cash. 

Agents  should  make  daily  report  of  earnings. 

Agents  should  make  daily  report  of  way-bills  re- 
ceived. 

Agents  should  make  daily  report  of  way-bills  for- 
warded. 

38 


ACCOUNTS  AND  STATIONARY.  39 

Agents  should  make  daily  report  of  overs  and 
shorts. 

Agents  should  make  daily  reports  of  overcharges. 

Agents  should  make  daily  reports  of  loss  and 
damage  claims. 

Auditors  should  make  daily  examination  of 
rates,  extensions  and  footings,  see  that  way-bill 
numbers  follow  consecutively  or  find  out  why  not, 
and  should  write  the  books  up  daily  and  sum- 
marize at  end  of  month. 

Examinations  of  agents'  accounts  should  be 
made  at  their  offices  at  irregular  periods  for  evi- 
dent reasons.  All  employees  should  be  bonded 
in  amounts  determined  by  their  responsibility  to 
the  Company.  A  list,  the  application,  and  de- 
scription of  the  blanks  necessary  to  the  conduct 
of  a  freight  business  follows.  Inasmuch  as  no 
two  transportation  companies  agree  on  the  same 
forms,  it  is  thought  best  to  indicate  the  essentials 
and  leave  the  matter  of  size,  lettering,  spacing  and 
arrangement  of  columns  to  the  judgment  of  the 
traffic  manager. 

Receipts  to  large  shippers  should  be  headed  with 
the  name  of  your  Company  and  followed  by  the 
words  "  received  the  following  articles  in  good 

order  except  as  noted,  from " 

and  dated.  Columns  should  be  headed  as  follows: 
Articles,  Consignee,  Destination,  and  Prepaid. 
A  space  should  be  left  for  signature  of  the  checker 
after  "  for  the  Company  "  at  the  bottom.  Bind 
at  the  top  only  100  sheets,  9  by  15  inches  of  al- 


40  FREIGHT  TRANSPORTATION. 

ternate  cheap  yellow  and  good  white  paper.  Mark 
yellow  original  and  the  white  duplicate.  Con- 
signor's shipping  clerk  makes  up  his  vehicle  load 
of  goods  destined  to  various  points  on  the  line  in 
duplicate  by  inserting  a  carbon  between  a  yellow 
and  a  white  sheet.  The  driver  on  arrival  at  the 
station  passes  up  his  book,  the  checker  notes  the 
goods  coming  off  the  vehicle  and  if  the  list  is  cor- 
rect signs  the  yellow  sheet,  detaches  the  white 
sheet  for  his  company's  bill  clerk  after  initialing 
it  and  returns  book  to  driver. 

Small  shippers'  receipt  books  may  be  like  the 
above  with  a  shorter  page. 

Occasional    shippers'    receipts    may  be    of  the 
simplest  form  giving  date,  name  of  shipper,  valua- 
tion,   destination,    and    "  prepaid  "    or   "  collect 
charges. 

A  blank  form  of  receipt  should  be  provided  for 
use  at  destination  of  goods,  acknowledging  pay- 
ment of  money  by  consignee  to  agent.  This 
form  should  be  dated,  show  nature  of  goods, 

from to.. ....,  way-bill  number,    weight, 

date  shipped,  shipped  by,  "  our  charges,"  ad- 
vanced charges,  amount  of  C.O.D.  and  total. 

An  attorney  should  be  consulted  regarding  mat- 
ter to  be  printed  on  back  of  blanks  as  a  means  of 
protection  to  the  company  in  the  event  of  loss, 
damage  or  delays.  Good  forms  are  found  that 
will  be  suggestive  on  the  usual  express  receipt 
and  in  the  uniform  bill  of  lading  conditions  printed 
in  the  official  classification  already  referred  to. 


ACCOUNTS  AND  STATIONARY.  41 

The  Way-Bill.  Transportation  companies  have 
various  forms  of  way-bills  but  this  section  will  be 
devoted  to  what  is  considered  by  many  as  being 
an  ideal  blank.  It  should  be  headed  with  the 

company's  name,   marked    Way-Bill,    from 

to... ...,  date .,  time First  mes- 
senger  ,  second  messenger , 

and  arranged  for  serial  numbers,  and  columns  as 
follow:  Number  of  articles,  Description  of  Arti- 
cles, Weight,  Class,  Rate,  C.O.D.  or  value,  Con- 
signor, Consignee,  Advance  charges,  Freight  charges 
Total  to  collect,  Freight  collected,  Prepaid,  Paid 
beyond.  Way-bills  should  be  made  in  triplicate 
and  on  one  should  be  printed:  "  Original — For- 
warding office;"  on  another,  "  Triplicate — Audi- 
tor;" and  on  the  third,  "  Duplicate — Receiving 
office;"  and  on  the  last  a  space  should  be  provided 
for  the  consignee  to  receipt  for  the  shipment  in 
good  order.  The  three  papers  as  above  are  to  be 
printed  on  one  sheet  of  thin,  tough,  yellow  paper. 
For  illustration  take  any  sheet  of  paper,  fold  it 
twice  from  bottom  to  top,  making  three  equal 
leaves.  As  folded  the  Original  way-bill  will  be 
the  top  page,  the  duplicate  next  and  the  triplicate 
last.  On  the  open  sheet  the  triplicate  appears  at 
the  top,  the  duplicate  at  the  bottom  and  the 
original  printed  upside  down  in  the  middle  of  the 
back.  The  extended  sheets,  with  the  triplicate 
way-bill  at  the  top  should  be  made  into  pads  of 
100  pages  each,  fastened  only  at  the  top.  The 
pad  is  finished  off  with  a  double-faced  carbon  sheet, 


42  FREIGHT  TRANSPORTATION. 

full  width  but  only  two  bills  long,  and  five  more 
carbons  of  the  same  dimensions,  are  bound  in, 
spaced  sixteen  pages  apart.  The  sheets  are  scored 
or  perforated  to  facilitate  separation  from  each 
other  and  from  the  short  stub  at  the  top.  The 
lines  must  register.  In  practice  the  sheet  is 
folded  twice  from  bottom  to  top,  and  the  original 
is  written  upon  with  an  indelible  pencil.  Then 
the  whole  sheet  of  three  bills,  each  bearing  the 
same  serial  number,  is  separated  from  the  stub. 
The  duplicate  and  triplicate  are  passed  to  the 
messenger,  go  with  the  goods,  and  reach  the  agent 
at  destination.  The  duplicate  is  there  receipted 
by  the  consignee  and  retained  by  the  receiving 
office,  as  evidence  of  delivery,  and  reported  in 
statement  of  way-bills  received.  The  forwarding 
agent  retains  the  original  and  reports  it  in  abstract 
of  way-bills  forwarded.  The  triplicate,  after 
possible  correction  of  both  duplicate  and  triplicate 
for  any  errors,  is  sent  to  the  auditor  for  his  ac- 
counts. He  keeps  track  of  the  serial  numbers 
from  which  he  traces  missing  bills.  Obviously 
bills  voided  for  any  reason  should  be  sent  along 
with  the  others  to  the  auditor  so  that  no  num- 
bers escape  the  records. 

Reporting  Way-Bills.  The  agents  should  make 
up  daily  reports  of  way-bills  forwarded  and  re- 
ceived. There  is  really  less  hardship  in  adhering 
strictly  to  this  rule  than  in  making  weekly  reports 
or  monthly  reports.  When  explanations  are  called 
for  matters  are  fresher  in  the  minds  of  employees 


ACCOUNTS  AND  STATIONARY.  43 

than  they  will  be  at  the  end  of  the  week  or  month. 
The  auditor  is  enabled  by  these  abstracts  and 
statements  to  check  every  transaction  of  the 
agents  and  is  in  a  position  to  run  down  any  ir- 
regularity promptly.  A  blank  should  be  headed 
with  the  name  of  the  company,  designated  "  ab- 
stract of  way-bills  forwarded  from. 

office agent  "  and  dated.     It  should 

also  bear  the  note  "  Enter  way-bills  in  consecutive 
numerical  order,"  and  have  columns  as  follows: 
Date,  Way-bill  number,  Destination,1  Advance 
Charges,  Freight  Charges,  Prepaid,  Remarks. 

Another  blank  should  be  headed  with  the  name 
of  the  Company  and  designated  "  Statement  of 
way-bills  received,"  with  columns  as  follows: 
Date,  Way-Bill  Number,  From,  Advance  charges, 
Freight  charges,  Prepaid,  Paid  Beyond.  The 
two  blanks  should  be  printed  on  cheap  yellow 
paper,  and  padded  in  blocks  of  200  sheets.  The 
agent  retains  carbon  duplicates. 


44  FREIGHT  TRANSPORTATION. 

Agents  Daily  Balance  Sheet. 

Date....  -190  . 

Name  of  Your  Company..... 


...Agent 


.Depot 


Dr. 
To  balance  as  per  last  statement  

To  advance  charges  W.  B.  received.  . 

To  freight  collected  on  W  .  B.  fonvarded 

Cr. 

By  paid  beyond  on  \V.  B.  received    . 

By  advance  charges  \V.  B.  fonvarded 

By  cash  remitted  Treasurer  

By  balance  as  per  uncollected  list.  .  .  . 

I  hereby  certify  that  the  above  is  a  true  statement,  and 
that  freight  covered  by  uncollected  bills  is  in  my  possession 
or  is  delivered  to  consignee  by  order  of  the  Traffic  Manager. 


.Agent. 


ACCOUNTS  AND  STATIONARY. 


45 


If  the  use  of  the  foregoing  form  is  not  evident  the 
following  diagram  will  make  it  plain: 

For  transportation  of  any 
character  beyond   our 
lines, 
agent 


Paid  Beyond 


Freight 


"  Advance  Charges 


Credit    receiving 
as    he    pays    out, 
forwarding   agent      has 
collected    when    he    uses 
this  column. 
Due  from  Receiving  Agent 

unless  prepaid. 
Paid     by     and     due     For- 
warding      Agent.       Due 
from     Receiving     Agent 
as      he      collects      from 
Consignee. 
Agent  keeps  manifold  of  this  report. 

C.O.D.  Wrappers.  While  the  steam  roads  do 
not  generally  undertake  to  collect  from  consignees 
for  the  value  of  goods  carried,  it  is  recommended 
that  on  city  and  suburban  electric  lines  this  ser- 
vice be  performed.  It  must  be  undertaken  or 
a  large  paying  business  will  be  lost.  Precautions 
must  however  be  carefully  observed.  The  wrapper 
or  envelope  is  made  of  tough  thick  paper,  folded 
with  a  double  flap,  (See  any  old  line  express  com- 
pany's C.O.D.  wrapper)  to  prevent  spilling  coin. 
The  forwarding  agent  encloses  the  shipper's  in- 
voice and  the  messenger  delivers  it  to  the  re- 
ceiving agent  with  the  way-bills.  The  receiving 
agent  makes  collection  for  value  and  return  charges, 
usually  in  currency,  places  the  amount  in  the 
wrapper,  closes  with  gummed  flap  and  in  addition 


46  FREIGHT  TRANSPORTATION. 

takes  a  few  stitches  of  thread  through  envelope 
and  any  papers  or  banknotes  within,  bringing 
ends  of  thread  up  at  a  point  on  the  flap  to  be 
covered  by  wax  and  impressed  by  his  office  seal. 
The  wrapper  and  stated  contents  is  way-billed  to 
the  shipper  and  is  treated  like  any  other  package. 
The  presence  of  a  few  return  C.O.D.  wrappers 
tends  to  overpower  some  messengers,  which  is 
another  reason  for  bonding  and  for  daily  reports. 
Agents  accept  checks  for  goods  C.O.D.  at  their 
own  risk. 

The  following  are  considered  essentials  for 
C.O.D.  wrappers: 

"  C.O.D."  in  large  full  block  letters,  should 
have  prominent  display  on  the  face  of  the  envelope. 

Name  of  the  Company, 
Date, 

Station  Agent  at 

Station  Agent  from.... 

Bill  for  collection  $ 

Charge  for  returning  money 

Total  to  return... „ 

When  presented 

When  paid    . 

Agent Station. 

Enclosed  find  $ in  payment  of  above. 

Date..... 

.Agent. 


A CCO UN TS  A ND  S TA TIONA RY.  47 

Bill  Head.  Accounts  of  shippers  of  unquestion- 
able credit  may  be  carried  by  the  week  and  then 
billed  on  any  simple  form  that  commends  itself 
to  the  auditor.  The  essentials  are  evidently  com- 
pany name,  place,  date,  date  of  shipment,  articles, 
consignee,  destination,  items  and  total.  If  you 
cannot  settle  daily  with  shippers  do  not  let  balanc- 
ing be  postponed  longer  than  a  week.  Transac- 
tions a  month  old  are  hard  to  trace. 

"  Short  "  and  "  Over  "  Notices.  It  is  inevitable 
that  goods  will  occasionally  be  misdirected,  mis- 
carried, stolen  or  lost,  and  blanks  providing  for 
systematic  tracing  of  shipments  must  be  used. 

Short  Notice. 

Company  name 

We  are  short  the  following. 


Articles  Billed 


Articles  Received. 


Way-Bill  No Date....  ...190 

Shipped  by 

to 

Remarks 

Office 

..Agent. 


48  FREIGHT  TRANSPORTATION. 

Over  Notice. 

Company  name....  

Date.. 

Office     

Agent. 

We   are   "  over  "  from  your  office  the  following 
articles  arriving  here  on  car  due  at M. 

Date  of  arrival 190 

Articles  Weight 

Shipped  by.... 
Street  and  number 
Shipped  to ... 
Street  and  number 
Remarks. 

Agent. 


Tags,  Claim  Checks,  Postal  Notices,  etc. 

Stout   wired  shipping  tags  should  be   provided 


ACCOUNTS  AND  STATIONARY.  49 

for  attachment  to  certain  packages.     Print  on  them 
the  name  of  your  Company  and 


From. 


Claim  Checks  of  tough  card  board  for  baggage 
or  packages  shipped  for  parties  having  no  residence 
or  place  of  business  at  destination  are  scored  or 
perforated  across  the  middle  the  narrow  way. 
Both  tag  and  check  bear  the  company's  name, 

the  same  serial  number,  and  "  From 

to "     The  tag  is  strung  or  wired  and 

attached  to  the  baggage  or  package;  the  check 
goes  to  the  shipper.  The  usual  limitations  of 
liability  for  loss  or  damage  are  printed  upon  the 
back  of  the  check  and  tag;  also  the  following: 
"  Packages  remaining  uncalled  for  more  than  24 
hours  are  subject  to  a  storage  charge  of  5  cents  for 
the  second  day  of  24  hours  or  fraction  thereof, 
and  for  each  succeeding  day.  A  maximum  charge 
for  one  month  of  50  cents  is  made." 
$*  Postal  cards  should  be  supplied  to  agents  for 
giving  notice  of  arrival  of  freight,  and  warning  of 
storage  charges  if  not  removed  in  24  hours,  and 
stating  that  goods  are  held  at  owner's  risk.  Space 
for  consignee  to  order  the  goods  delivered  to  bearer 
should  be  provided. 


50  FREIGHT  TRANSPORTATION. 

Order  Blanks.  In  stimulating  local  trade  it  is 
a  good  thing  to  have  a  pad  of  order  blanks  for 
distribution  among  merchants  being  an  order  on 
a  city  shipper  to  forward  designated  goods  to  him 
by  your  transportation  line.  The  blank  may 
read  as  follows: 

Name  of  your  Company. 

ORDER  BLANK. 
From... 

Date    . 
To... 
Please  ship  by.... 

the  following ..JA 

Signed 


Envelopes,  long  and  short,  are  required.  Pro- 
vide suitable  quantities  of  the  long  envelopes 
addressed  in  conspicuous  type  to  the  Treasurer, 
Auditor  or  Traffic  Manager.  Give  name  of  the 

Company  and  "  Station  from .....," 

"  enclosing ..." 


CHAPTER  XII. 
INSTRUCTIONS  TO  EMPLOYEES. 

A  full  printed  set  of  instructions  to  employees, 
in  small  book  form,  is  preferable  to  encumbering 
the  company's  papers  and  envelopes  with  rules 
in  fine  print.  Some  essentials  are  suggested  as 
follows : — 


The  following  rules  and  regulations  have  been 
adopted  for  the  government  and  information  of 
employees  on  lines  operated  by  this  Company  to 
take  effect  (Date) and  re- 
place conflicting  rules  now  in  force.  In  addition 
to  these  rules  general  orders  will  be  issued  and 
posted  on  bulletin  boards  at  the  various  stations 
and  depots  of  the  Company,  and  whether  in  con- 
flict with  these  rules  or  not  shall  be  fully  observed 
so  long  as  they  remain  in  force.  All  orders,  rules, 
bulletins  and  notices  will  remain  in  force  until 
annulled  or  changed.  If  in  doubt  as  to  the  mean- 
ing of  any  rule  or  order,  application  must  be  made 
at  once  to  the  proper  authority  for  explanation. 
Violations  of  rules,  orders,  bulletins  or  notices  will 
be  deemed  sufficient  cause  for  suspension  or  dis- 
missal. All  persons  entering  or  remaining  in  the 
service  are  required  to 

1.  Familiarize    themselves    with    all    rules    and 

orders. 

51 


52  FREIGHT  TRANSPORTATION. 

2.  Obey  these  rules  and  orders. 

3.  Use  their  own  best  judgment   in  cases  not 
covered  by  the  instructions. 

4.  Treat  the  public  with  courtesy. 

GENERAL  RULES. 

1.  Knowledge  of  Rules.     Employees  must  have 
a  copy  of  these  rules  with  them  at  all  times  when 
on  duty,  and  will  be  required  to  keep  themselves 
informed   as   to   their   contents   together  with   all 
orders,    notices   and   bulletins.     Ignorance   of   the 
rules  or  orders  will  not  be  accepted  as  an  excuse 
for  non-compliance  with  same.     In  case  any  mes- 
senger's badge  should  be  lost,  such  fact  must  be 
reported  to  the  Traffic  Manager  without  delay. 

2.  Personal  Habits. 

The  following  are  prohibited: 

(a)  Drinking  intoxicating  liquors  while  on  duty 
or  to  excess  at  any  time. 

(b)  Entering  or  frequenting,  while  on  duty  or  in 
uniform,   places  where  intoxicating  liquor  is  sold 
as  a  beverage. 

(c)  Carrying  intoxicating  liquors  while  on  duty 
or  on  the  Company's  premises  at  any  time. 

(d)  Habitual  gambling,   gambling  in  any  form 
while  on  the  Company's  premises,  or  frequenting 
places  where  gambling  is  carried  on. 

(e)  Using  tobacco  in  any  form  while  on  duty. 
(/)    Reading  books  or  newspapers  while  on  duty. 

3.  Responsibility. 

(a)   The  messenger  is  in  charge  of  the  car  while 
it  is  on  the  road,  and  the  motorman  must  obey 


INSTRUCTIONS  TO  EMPLOYEES.  53 

his  orders  so  far  as  is  reasonable  and  consistent 
with  the  rules. 

(6)'  No  passengers  are  allowed  on  freight  cars 
nor  employees  unless  authorized  by  the  Traffic 
Manager. 

4.  Time  Tables.     Tables  showing  running  time 
will  be  issued  by  special  orders  and  posted  from 
time  to  time.     The  time  therein  must  not  be  in- 
creased  or   lessened   at   any  time,    day   or  night, 
unless    special    orders    are    given    by    the    proper 
officials  of  the  Company. 

5.  United  States  Mail.     Conductors  and  motor- 
men  will  be  held  equally  responsible  for  safe  de- 
livery of  the  mails. 

6.  Imparting  Information.     Information  regard- 
ing the  Company's  affairs  must  not  be  given  to 
anyone  except  the  proper  officials. 

.  7.  Disputes.  Disputes  and  quarrels  between 
employees  while  on  duty  or  on  the  Company's 
permises  are  forbidden. 

8.  Assignments.     Assignment  of  wages  by  em- 
ployees is  forbidden  and  will  not  be  recognized  by 
the  Company. 

9.  Non-payment   of   Debts.     Habitual   non-pay- 
ment of  debts  incurred  by  employees  of  this  Com- 
pany will   be  considered   sufficient  cause    for  dis- 
charge. 

10.  Employees     Leaving     Service.      Employees 
when  leaving  the  service  of  this  Company  must 
return  to  it  all  of  the  property  with  which  they  have 
been    entrusted   before    receiving   their    final    pay 


54  FREIGHT  TRANSPORTATION. 

which  they  will  receipt  for.  In  default  of  such 
return  they  will  be  charged  with  such  articles. 

11.  Special  Instructions  to  Agents. 

(a)   Keep  full  supply  of  blanks. 

(6)  Every  shipment  must  be  covered  by  a  way- 
bill. Rates  to  be  as  shown  on  approved  tariffs. 
If  any  other  rate  is  made  authority  must  be  shown 
on  face  of  the  way-bill. 

(c)  Freight  charges  must  be  prepaid  on  goods 
consigned  to  stations  where  there  are  no  agents. 

(d)  All  shipments  must  be  plainly  marked  or 
tagged  by  the  shippers  only. 

(e)  No     consignment     may     be     accepted     for 
transportation     when     consigned     "  to     shipper's 
order  "  or  "to  notify." 

(/)  Pianos  and  organs  not  boxed  will  not  be 
taken. 

(g)    Household  goods  must  be  prepaid. 

(h)  Watermelons  not  packed  or  crated  will  not 
be  accepted. 


The  following  detachable  sheet  should  appear 
as  the  last  page  of  the  instruction  book,  numbered, 
dated  and  signed  by  the  employee  and  when  de- 
tached should  be  forwarded  to  the  Traffic  Manager. 

No... 


THIS  IS  TO  CERTIFY 

That  I  have  read  the  Rules  and  Regulations  as 
printed,  and  do  hereby  agree  to  abide  by  the  same, 
and  to  submit  to  the  penalties  prescribed  for  viola- 


INSTRUCTIONS  TO  EMPLOYEES.  55 

tion  of  same,  and  to  return  this  book  upon  leaving 

the  service  of  the  Company  or  to  forfeit  $ to 

the  Company. 

Signed 

Date.... 


CHAPTER  XIII. 
CONNECTING  LINES. 

In  a  thickly  populated  district  there  may  be 
within  a  radius  of  fifty  miles  from  the  centre 
of  the  principal  city  several  smaller  cities  and 
towns  all  having  their  own  traction  corporations, 
officers,  plant,  and  so  on.  By  acting  in  harmony, 
these  various  railway  companies  may  very  ma- 
terially add  to  revenues  by  traffic  agreements 
providing  for  a  distribution  from  the  metropolis 
of  fruits,  meats,  fish,  department  store  goods, 
furniture,  wholesale  groceries,  tobacco,  butter 
and  eggs,  etc.,  and  the  return  to  the  principal  city 
of  factory  products,  farm  products,  milk  and 
garden  truck.  Several  obstructions  have  stood  in 
the  way  of  accomplishing  profitable  results  in 
many  observed  instances.  In  the  first  place  the 
company  in  control  of  the  metropolitan  lines 
doubts  the  expediency  of  running  foreign  cars 
over  its  lines  and  sometimes  foreign  cars  must  be 
excluded  because  they  are  fitted  with  wheels  im- 
proper as  respects  flange  or  tread,  and  therefore  ill 
suited  to  city  tracks  and  paving.  Outlying  trac- 
tion companies,  not  without  support  of  precedent, 
urge  that  divisions  of  through  rates  shall  be  made 
on  a  mileage  basis  as  on  the  steam  roads.  The 
metropolitan  company  cannot  see  that  it  is  worth 
while  to  accept  5  cents  per  100  pounds  out  of  a 

56 


CONNECTING  LINES.  57 

25  cent  rate,  even  though  the  connecting  line  has 
four  times  its  own  mileage  in  the  transaction.  It 
may  be  taken  for  granted  that  transfers  of  freight 
at  connecting  points  from  one  car  to  another  are 
so  costly  in  time,  labor,  losses  and  damage  as  to 
be  prohibitive.  If  the  big  company  is  warranted 
in  the  assumption,  often  well-grounded,  that  the 
connecting  line  is  built  to  sell  and  has  points  of 
resemblance  to  the  "  charter-and-two-streaks-of- 
rust,"  type  it  may  be  bad  policy  to  enhance  its 
value  by  improving  its  earning  capacity.  It  is 
equally  impolitic,  perhaps,  if  the  big  company 
really  seeks  to  control  a  first  class  connecting 
line,  but  when  the  city  company  does  not  object 
to  the  other's  making  a  little  more  money,  the 
equipment  troubles  are  overcome,  and  a  systematic 
canvass  indicates  that  a  profitable  business  could 
be  built  up  were  the  lines  under  one  control,  the 
obvious  conclusion  is  that  all  concerned  should  get 
together  and  agree  on  a  rate  and  divisions  that  will 
be  interesting.  Although  the  country  lines  will 
have  in  most  cases  the  much  longer  haul,  the 
metropolitan  line  is  entitled  to  divisions  covering 
a  profit.  On  the  one  hand  the  city  people  may 
claim  the  lion's  share  of  the  rate  the  traffic  will 
stand  for  the  reason  that  they  control  transporta- 
tion to  and  from  the  market.  The  others  want  the 
same  thing  because  they  run  many  more  car  miles 
with  the  goods.  If  a  rate  acceptable  to  shippers 
can  be  divided  so  as  to  show  a  profit  to  the  carriers 
involved  in  the  transaction  there  should  not  be 
much  difficulty  in  coming  to  an  agreement. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 
THE  PLATFORM  PACKAGE  SYSTEM. 

Granted  that  there  are  no  restrictions,  statutory, 
or  prudential,  a  good  revenue  may  be  realized  by 
the  carrying  of  packages  up  to  a  hundred  pounds 
weight,  when  not  too  bulky,  on  certain  lines,  on 
certain  passenger  cars,  at  certain  times.  It  is 
too  often  the  case  that  a  motorman  or  conductor  is 
handed  a  coin  or  other  consideration  to  carry  a 
package  on  the  car.  Instances  can  be  given  of 
lines  running  to  shore  resorts  where  summer 
people  live  in  a  hand  to  mouth  sort  of  way,  on 
which  motormen  and  conductors  divide  $2  or 
more  per  day  for  taking  packages  between  town 
and  country.  These  irregularities  may  be  cor- 
rected and  revenue  collected  by  the  company  if  a 
simple  system  is  inaugurated. 

Books  of  200  detachable  gummed  labels  con- 
secutively numbered,  should  be  provided  for  the 
use  of  conductors  and  for  sale  to  merchants.  In 
binding,  the  labels  should  be  separated  by  sheets 
of  paraffine  paper  as  in  the  books  of  stamps  sold 
by  the  Post  Office.  The  labels  should  be  of  a 
character  not  easily  counterfeited  and  are  to  be 
attached  to  the  paper  cover  of  packages  or  to  tags 
on  them  by  conductor  or  shipper  and  cancelled 
with  indelible  pencil.  For  simplicity  the  labels 
may  be  printed  in  some  such  manner  as  the  fol- 

58 


THE  PLATFORM  PACKAGE  SYSTEM.        59 

lowing  and  a  sufficient  number  of  labels  attached 
to  the  package  to  cover  the  tariff.  Conductors 
should  receipt  for  labels  given  them  by  limiting 
numbers,  and  be  credited  with  all  unused  num- 
bers returned.  Inspectors  will  be  expected  to 
examine  packages  on  the  cars  occasionally  for 
any  irregularities.  It  is  to  be  distinctly  under- 
stood that  all  this  package  business  is  to  be  done 


fr 


at  the  car,  where  all  calls  and  deliveries  are  to  be 
made.  It  is  freely  admitted  that  this  method  of 
doing  a  package  business  may  become  a  nuisance 
to  the  company  and  public  if  not  intelligently 
handled.  On  the  other  hand  it  may  be  made  a 
great  convenience  to  many  residents  and  industries, 
and  a  source  of  profit  to  the  company.  On  early 
and  late  cars,  meats,  milk,  laundry  and  bread 
baskets  have  been  carried  satisfactorily. 


CHAPTER  XV. 
THE  PUBLIC. 

The  requirements  of  shippers  are  often  very 
exacting — appear  to  be  unreasonably  so.  The 
way  to  find  out  whether  it  is  worth  while  to  do  it 
the  shipper's  way,  is  for  the  traffic  manager  to 
know  the  shipper's  business.  Intelligent  steam 
road  people  have  a  corps  of  expert  freight  solicitors 
constantly  on  the  move  looking  for  business  and 
familiar  with  the  shipper's  real  needs.  If  a  ser- 
vice that  can  be  relied  on  is  established  it  will 
take  a  hard  wrench  for  anyone  to  take  away  a 
friendly  shipper. 

The  misrepresentations  of  shippers  as  to  contents 
and  weights  of  packages  and  in  loss  and  damage 
claims  are  a  source  of  endless  annoyance.  Com- 
plicated situations  are  created  that  must  be  in- 
stantly attacked  and  settled  promptly.  Shipper's 
truck  drivers  will  bear  very  close  watching.  The 
driver  should  take  back  a  damaged  package  or 
accept  a  receipt  showing  actual  condition.  Boxes 
of  meat,  poultry,  fruit,  eggs,  wines  and  liquors, 
etc.,  must  be  critically  examined  for  abstractions 
or  breakage.  The  driver  who  has  not  wit  enough 
to  impose  on  the  freight  man  with  a  package  in 
bad  order  rates  low  with  some  people.  Merchants 
have  a  life  trying  enough  without  kicks  from 
customers  and  transportation  companies,  and  state- 

60 


THE  PUBLIC.  61 

ments  as  to  damages,  losses,  weights  and  condition 
of  goods  must  be  most  promptly  and  correctly 
made  to  keep  the  peace.  The  company  has  the 
driver  and  the  shipping  clerk  against  it  on  principle, 
and  the  merchant  naturally  takes  the  word  of  his 
own  help.  Collections  should  be  made  not  less 
frequently  than  weekly,  or  the  time  of  men  better 
employed  than  in  wrangling  over  bills  may  be 
wasted  and  much  important  work  delayed.  First 
make  the  system  right  and  then  permit  no  lapse 
from  a  high  standard  of  business.  Much  has  been 
said  of  the  wisdom  of  concessions  and  conciliation. 
This  sort  of  thing  has  no  place  in  freight  business. 
If  the  company  is  forced  to  concede  and  con- 
ciliate, the  system  or  the  men  or  both  are  deficient. 
On  the  other  hand  this  does  not  mean  that  depot 
men  or  agents  should  be  permitted  to  be  bumptious 
because  they  happen  to  be  clothed  with  a  little 
cheap  authority.  The  proprietor  of  a  fruit  house 
for  example  exacts  results  from  his  shipping  clerk 
on  the  latter's  representations  as  to  how  much 
stuff  can  be  handled  in  ten  hours  by  the  ten  teams, 
and  if  the  depot  people  get  the  ill  will  of  that 
shipping  clerk  and  his  drivers  by  making  them 
wait  unnecessarily,  the  transportation  company 
stands  to  lose  some  business  and  acquire  a  bad 
reputation.  Much  satisfaction  will  be  realized 
from,  the  effect  of  a  carefully  written  letter  sent  at 
the  start  to  large  shippers,  naming  rates,  condi- 
tions, running  schedules  and  depot  rules. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 
IN  CONCLUSION. 

While  some  topics  herein  have  been  treated  in 
detail  it  must  be  realized  that  what  has  been  said 
is  largely  suggestive.  Conditions  vary  so  widely 
that  a  discussion  of  all  of  the  aspects  of  freight 
traffic  is  out  of  the  question  within  the  limits  im- 
posed. It  is  thought  that  enough  has  been  said 
to  serve  as  a  general  outline  of  ways  and  means 
and  it  is  hoped  that  many  of  the  errors  into  which 
some  operating  companies  have  fallen  have  been 
indicated. 

No  special  observations  have  been  made  re- 
garding long  distance  electric  freight  lines  operating 
practically  through  a  country  devoid  of  way  side 
settlement.  Methods  of  business  procedure  on 
lines  of  that  character,  it  is  thought,  will  be  sug- 
gested by  the  foregoing. 


OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY 

OF 


THIS  BOOK  IS  DUE  ON  THE  LAST  DATE 
STAMPED  BELOW 


AN  INITIAL  FINE  OP  25  CENTS 

WILL  BE  ASSESSED  FOR  FAILURE  TO  RETURN 
THIS  BOOK  ON  THE  DATE  DUE.  THE  PENALTY 
WILL  INCREASE  TO  SO  CENTS  ON  THE  FOURTH 
DAY  AND  TO  $1.OO  ON  THE  SEVENTH  DAY 
OVERDUE. 


Ff:i      ft   i.!42f 

250ctlll  L 

1       ••'•  .  :  ,- 

UBRARY  USE 

1  1  1  1  o      IQfiA 

JULW 

Alt 

jUL    2^5 

ncfl°7195^L^i! 

LD  21-100m-7,  '40  (6936s) 

YB  10903 


>••:,  -'"*?..' 

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